Computing-scale.



PATBfiTED SEPT. 24, 1907.

L. G. WETZEL. COMPUTING SCALE. APPLIOEATIOH rmm rm. 7. 907.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEWIS C. WETZEL, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, AS53161? OR TO TOLEDOtl()l.ilUl'll-Y-3 SCAILE OF TOLEDO, OHIO, A OORPORJTJTION OJ. NEWJLRSEY.

COMPUTING-565L1 1.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. Sept. 24,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Lewis G. WETZEL, residing at Toledo, in the countyof Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in 5 Oomputing-Scal es, of which the following is aspecification.

In computing scales of the pendulum variety it is customary to providefor augmenting the weight of the pendulum so as to increase the weighingcapacity of the scales at will and in order to adapt the chart and indexhand to either normal or augmented capacity it has been customary toprovide two rows of weight numerals on the chart, one made up of twiceas many numerals as the other, and to inscribe upon the face of theindex hand two parallel rows 01' price numerals, each numeral of one rowbeing paired with a numeral of twice the value in the other row.Contrasting colors are generally employed to distinguish the two rows ofweight numerals from each other and the two rows of price numorals fromeach other. The price row representing lesser values is of course usedin conjunction with the row of weight numerals representing theaugmented weighing capacity of the scales and these two cooper-a1 ingrows of numerals have the same color while the contrusting color is usedfor the row oi price numerals representing the greater values and forthe row of weight numerals representing the lesser or normal Weightcapacity of the scales. The means for augmenting the counter-balancingproperties of the pcndulum generally takes the lorm or a ball weightwhich may be readily applied to and removed from the pcndulum and it iscustomary to give this ball weight the same color as the row of lesserprice numerals and the row of greater capacity weight numerals Th uswhen the ball weight is on the pendulum its color isthat of the priceand weight numerals which are to govern in reading the scales. Thissimple color system has been found to fully satisfy all reasonablerequirements in the matter oi denoting how the scales shall be read whenused at one weight capacity or the other. However, in order to removeany possibility of confusion in the use of the scales by inexperiencedor unusually stupid or designing persons it has heretofore been proposedto provide for displaying only the row or set of price numorals oi thegreater values when the extra weight is oil the pendulum and to displayonly the row or set of numerals of the lesser values when such weight ison the pendulum, tlllIS rendering it impossible for the user to ignorethe price numerals whose color alone should suliice to indicate how thescales are to be read. This has been accomplished through the employmentof a reversible strip or bar on the index hand bearing the two rows olprice numerals on opposite sides. This idea broadly is not of thepresent invention, hich re lates rather to a character of means foroperating suc l a reversible bar not dependent upon the employment anymechanism or removing and replacing the hall weight.

The present invention pr vides for re' price numeral bar by the mere actof placing till. cal weight upon the pendulum by hand and its litremoval, the devices whereby the bar is thus o'ierated being all carriedby the pendulum or the index hand or both, so that the user of thescales does not have to coin corn himself at all about any particulardisposition of the pendulum when the weight is applied or removed.

In the drawings, which accompany and form part of this specification,Figure 1 represents, for the in part .in front elevation, a portion ofa. computing scale of lamiliar type havin the improvements of the pr ntinvention embodied therein. in this view full lines represent the normalposition of devices for reversing the price n umcral ba 0 the positionof su h devices when the removable weight is not on the :Qclltldilllll,and dotted lines represent the changed pos. con 0! these devices whenthe said weight is upon the pendulum. The so-called ball weight is shownin this view in perspective as though about to be applied to thependulum; Fig. 2 represents the pivotal weighing structure for the mostpart in side elevation, but with some par is, including the reversibleweight, in section, such. weight being here shown upon the pendulum; 3is a cross section on an enlarged scale taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. l;and Fig. 4 is a fragmentary frontelovation of the index hand showing theprice numeral bar reversed as compared with the illustration in Fig. l.

The invention is illustrated by preference as applied to the type ofcomputing scales shown in DoVilbiss reissue Patent ledlZt, dated Sept.9, 1902, but is not to be understood as necessarily limited tosuchapplicatimi. liel'crcncc may be had to said pa tent for the detailsof construction and mode of operation oi this particular type oi scales.lt will sullicc for the purpose of the present specification todesignate a few of the familiar parts going to make up such scales.Above suitable supporting base 1 is arranged a scale beam 2 connected bya link 3 with a pivot piece 3 within a housing, l erected on the basc 1.An indc); hand 5 is rigidly se cured to said pivot piece on the upperside of the pivot and tlic stem 5 ol' the pendulum is rigidly secured tosaid pivot piccc on the owiside of the pendulum, said pendulum having apermanent weight 9 at its lower end The index hand as usual extends overa chart 6 within a lair-shaped portion of the casing or he sing, saidchart being made up of concentric rows of compu- "tation numerals andtwo outer rows of weight numerals. Instead of inscribing the face of theindex hand with two parallel rows of price numerals, there is mountedupon the index-hand a bar 10 journaled at its ends in brackets 11 and 12secured to the index hand, said bar having the two sets of pricenumerals inscribed on its opposite sides. Thus when thebar is turned oneway a set of price numerals is exposed suitable for use when the scaleis weighing in its lower capacity, e., when the removable weight is offthe pendulum. A reversal ofthe bar will of course carry this particularset of numerals out of view and expose the other set whichis suitablefor use when the scale is weighing in its larger capacity, 't'. e., whenthe ball weight is on the pendulum.

The above described reversible bar carries at its lower end a toothedgee} wheel 13 with which meshes a crown segment 14 formed at the end ofan arm 15,

which is secured to a rock shaft 16, the latter being ,formed with alower enlarged end portion 21 of doubleconical form. Normally this lowerend portion of the sleeve rests by gravity upon a shoulder provided byan enlargement 22 otsaid pendulum stem, the weight of the sleeve beingsufficient to maintain this position as the pendulum swings to and fro.Of course the size of the enlarged part of the'sleeve can,be regulatedto shit v 20 to thrust the same upwardly.

requirements in this regard. Under such normal conditionsyi. e., withthe removal weight off the pendulum and the weighted sleeve lowered, thesegment 14 is held over to the right as the papts appear in Fig. 1'.This results in maintaining the reversible bar 10 in position to exposeto view the price numeral suitable for use while the scale is weighingin its lower capacity.

The removable weight 23 is of general cylindrical form, radially slottedto embraceithe pendulum stem in axial alinement therewith. It ispreferably formed with asocket to receive a short pin 24 on thepermanent weight 9 and the latter, which is of disk form andhorizontally disposed, has a long upstanding pin 25 to occupy the radialslot of the removable weight when the latter is on the pendulum, Thisremovable weight is beveled or rounded off, as shown at 26 in Fig. 2, oneach side of its slot for the purpose of coacting with the sleeve itwillbeobvious that when the removable weight is introduced over thepermanent pendulum weight the beveled or'rounded portions 26 will actagainst the conical under-portion of the enlargement 21 of said sleevewith a camming effect and thus lift the sleeve. This results in rockingthe arm 18 upward and the arm 15 to the left, thereby causing thesegment 14 to turn the gear wheel 13 and reverse the bar-10 so that theother set of price numerals will be exposed. This condition obtains aslong as the weight remains upon the pendulum. When it is removed thesleeve 20 immediately drops and through the connections described thebar 10 is turned back to its original position.

It will be seen that through the described instrumen talities the mereplacing by hand of the ball weight upon the pendulum will automaticallyresult in exposing the proper set of price numerals and concealing theother set and, vice versa," the mere removal by hand of bar.

the ball weightwill automatically result in reversing the price numeralbar. Thus the object primarilystated is thoroughly fulfilled. i

' What is claimed is: p I 1. In apparatus of the character described,the combination with a pendulum and a removable weight therefor; 01

controlled by the removable weight, and operative connections betweensaid slide-piece and the reversible strip or bar.

3. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with apendulum and a removable weight therefor; 01

an index hand having a reversible strip or bar bearing a set of numeralson each side, a sliding collar or sleeve on the pendulum controlled bythe removable weight, and opcrating connections between said sleeve andthe reversible 4. In apparatus of the character described, thecombination with a. pendulum and a removable weight therefor; o!

anindex hand having a reversible strip or bar bearing a. set of numeralson each side, and a gravity slide-piece on the pendulum operativelyconnected with the reversible bar and adapted to be lifted by theremovable weight when the latter is applied to the pendulum.

In apparatus or the character described, the combination with a pendulumand a removable weight therefor; of

an index hand having a reversible strip or bar bearing a setof numeralson each side, a slide-piece on the' pendulum controlled by the removableweightfa pltmanconnected with said slide-piece, a r0ck-arm connectedwith .said pitman. and connections between the rock-arm and thereversible bar.

7. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with apendulum and a removable weight therefor; 01 an index hand having areversible strip or bar bearing a set of numerals on each side, asliding collar or sleeve on the pendulum controlled by the removableweight, a pit.-

mun connected with said sleevc,.a rock-arm connected with suit] pitmun,and connections between the rock-arm and the reversible bar.

8. in apparatus of the character described, the combination with apendulum and a removable weight therefor; 01

an index hand having a reversible strip or bar bearing a set ofnumerals-on each side, a gravitating sleeve (Ir-collar on the pendulumoperatively connected with the reversible bar and having a tapering endportion adapted to be acted upon by the removable weight to move saidsleeve when said weight is pppiied to the pendulum, a pitman connectedwith said sleeve, a rock-arm connected with said pltman, and connectionsbetween the rock-arm and the reversible bur.

i). In apparatus of the character-described, the combination with apendulum and a removable weight therefor ;.ot an index hand having areversible strip or bar bearing a set 0! numerals on each'slde, a gearwheel on said bar, an oscillatory segment on the index hand and engagedwith said gear wheel, and means carried by the pendulum and controlledby .the removable weight and operatively concillatory segment on theindex hand and engaged with said gear wheel, and a slidepiece on thependulum controlled by the removable weight and operatively connectedwith the said segment. i

11. In apparatus of the character described. the combination with apendulum and a removable weight therefor; of an index hand having areversible strip or bar bearing a setof numerals on each side, a gearwheel on said bar, an oscillatory segment on the index hand and engagedwith 10 said gear wheel, a slide-piece on the pendulum controlled by theremovable weight, and a pitman connected with said slide piece andcranked to the oscillatory segment.

12. In computing scales, the combination of a chart of computationnumerals arranged in concentric rows, an inextending lengthwise saidindex hand and bearing a set of priceniunerals on each side andjournaled at its ends on hearings on the index hand a toothed gear wheelsecured to said bar, a toothed segment mounted to oscillate on the indexhand in mesh with said gear wheel, a radial arm compounded'with saidsegment, a pendulum compounded with the index arm, a weight adapted toberemovably applied to said pendulum, a sleeve on the latter with anenlarged conical end portion adapted to be acted upon by said weight,and a pitman. connecting said sleeve with the before-mentioned radialarm.

' LEWIS c. WETZEL. Witnesses:

ALLEN Dn VILBISS, Jr., C. DE Lona.

